CHAPTER 49: 49: LESSONS IN GRAVITY III

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John collapsed onto the grass, his chest heaving. He stared up at the sky through the shifting canopy, letting the warmth of the sun mix with the ache of overworked mana veins.

"You are the worst motivational coach in history," he muttered.

"Wrong. I am the best. I motivate you with fear, shame, and the occasional snack," Fizz said proudly. He patted John’s cheek with a tiny paw. "Speaking of snacks... I ate yours."

John opened one eye. "Figures."

The clearing bore evidence of his effort. Leaves and twigs had been pulled into miniature voids. Logs were scarred with strange, clean holes. Even a rock had a chunk missing, as though a bite had been taken from it by some invisible predator.

John sat up slowly, summoning one last black hole. It appeared instantly, stable and obedient. He moved it in a clean line forward and then pulled it back toward his hand. The orb hovered perfectly, silent and ominous.

Fizz floated beside it, his reflection stretched and warped. "Beautiful. Terrifying. My kind of magic."

John nodded, a faint smile breaking across his exhausted face. "It really is something else."

"See? Progress! Today you are a wobbly beginner. Tomorrow, the terror of mushrooms everywhere!"

John gave him a tired look. "Why mushrooms?"

"They are the enemies of mine," Fizz said solemnly, then immediately broke into a grin. "Okay, maybe I just like watching them panic. They scream in their own... mushroomy way."

John shook his head and let the orb dissolve, the tug of mana fading. The sun was high now, golden light spilling across the clearing. He felt spent but alive, one step closer to mastering the void that slept inside him.

He lay back in the grass, eyes half-lidded, as the forest whispered around him. Fizz curled into his hood like a smug, living scarf.

"Congratulations," the puffball said, already half-asleep. "Lesson one complete. You are now officially... slightly less hopeless."

John smirked and let his eyes close, the quiet forest humming like a lullaby.

The black hole had answered him today. And tomorrow, he will make it dance on his command.

The next morning came with a hush over the forest, the kind of quiet that felt like the world was holding its breath. Mist clung to the ground, curling around the roots of the trees like ghostly serpents. A streak of light broke through the canopy, landing across John’s face, nudging him awake.

He groaned and rolled onto his back. His body still ached from the previous day’s training. His shoulders and arms throbbed with the memory of channeling mana again and again. Even his chest carried a lingering burn from where the energy of the black hole had thrummed through his veins.

From his hood came a snore followed by a mumble. "No... the pancakes are mine... all the maple syrup..."

John carefully reached up and flicked Fizz’s side. "Wake up. Lesson two starts now."

Fizz blinked awake, one big eye opening first, then the other. His fur was a mess, and a dry pine needle was stuck to his cheek. "Ugh... morning already? Did the sun file a complaint against me?"

John sat up, stretching sore muscles. "You said yesterday we’d start on aiming. If I’m going to use this magic in a fight, I can’t just wave it around like a loose sparkler."

Fizz floated into the air, shaking himself off, and immediately regained his usual puffball energy. "Ah yes, welcome to Lesson Two of Fizz Academy of Cosmic Overkill. Today’s goal: don’t die from your own magic. Also, make things explode for fun and practice."

He zipped in a circle, leaving a faint trail of orange sparks in the mist. "First, summon your doom marble. Let’s see if you still remember to walk baby before we make it run."

John raised his right hand and inhaled deeply. The mana in his veins pulsed to his will, smoother now than yesterday. Shadows coalesced in his palm, tightening into a dense black sphere. It hummed faintly, drawing in the edges of the morning light.

Fizz clapped his tiny paws. "Ahhh, see? So much faster than yesterday. I am a phenomenal teacher."

John arched his brow. "Or I just practiced a lot."

"Nope. Clearly me. My wisdom is unmatched."

The black hole hovered in his palm, steady and solid. The air around it shimmered like heat waves. A single leaf drifted down from above, hesitated midair, and then curved toward the sphere, vanishing into the void with a whisper.

John felt the tug in his hand and arm, that deep weight pressing against his control. He exhaled and let his focus tighten. "Alright. What now?"

"Now..." Fizz zipped behind him, then poked his head over John’s shoulder, eyes gleaming with mischief. "We play fetch."

"Fetch?"

Fizz pointed toward a small rock near the edge of the clearing. "See that sad, lonely rock over there? It has no friends. Be a friend. Throw your ball at it and give it the gift of oblivion."

John squinted at the rock, then looked at the black hole. Slowly, he extended his will. The orb floated off his palm, wobbling at first but quickly stabilizing. He aimed, pushing it forward.

The black hole glided across the clearing, leaving a faint ripple in the mist.

"Faster!" Fizz yelled. "Don’t let it crawl like an old man with a limp. Give it some style!"

John gritted his teeth and pushed harder. The orb zipped forward and struck the rock with a soft pop. The rock didn’t explode — at least, not visibly. Instead, a perfectly round chunk of it vanished as if bitten out by some invisible mouth.

Fizz cheered, somersaulting in midair. "Yes! That is the power of void! Take that, stupid rock! This forest belongs to us now!"

John let the orb dissipate, his shoulders sagging with the effort. "Not exactly explosive..."

"Who cares? It ate it. That rock is gone. That’s better than an explosion. Explosions are just noise. This is elegant murder."